Bag collating and stacking apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for collating and stacking bags in vertically superimposed hands, the apparatus including a conveyor for receiving aligned bags from a bag forming machine and moving them in consecutive sequence away from the forming machine. A pair of spiral augers cooperate with the conveyor to periodically remove a preselected number (hand) of aligned bags therefrom and convey these bags into a turntable assembly. The turntable assembly periodically turns to alternate positions to face the bottoms of the bags first in one direction, and then in an alternate direction. A mechanism then forces the bags from the turntable assembly onto a tilting box assembly. This assembly tilts through an angle to move the bags from a vertical status to a horizontal status. Pushing mechanism then pushes the bags from the tilting box assembly into a rotating unit assembly which, upon actuation, delivers the bags to a transfer unit which conveys each successive hand of bags into a bag lifter assembly. The bag lifter assembly periodically lifts a stack of vertically superimposed hands of bags upwardly to permit a new hand to be delivered beneath the stack by the transfer unit, and then the lifter assembly lowers the lifted stack onto the new hand. Finally, after the stack of bags within the bag lifter assembly has come to contain a desired number of hands, a banding press loader assembly is automatically actuated to load the stack of bags from the lifter assembly into a banding press.

United States Patent [72] Inventor William B. Osteen FOREIGN PATENTSCalida Ark 1,005,370 9/1965 Great Britain 214/6 K [2|] AppLNo. 815,737 1[22] Filed AP 14, 1969 Primary ExaminerGerald M. Forlenza [45] Patent Au3, 1971 Assistant Examiner-Robert J. Spar [73] Assign out Mchimcorponfion Anorney- Dunlap, Laney, l-lessin and Dougherty Camden, Ark. 1

ABSTRACT: Apparatus for collating and stacking bags in verticallysuperimposed hands, the apparatus including a con- [54] AG COLLATING ANDSTACKING APPARATUS veyor for receiving aligned bags from a bag formingmachine 38 Claims, 16 Drawing Figs. and moving them in consecutivesequence away from the forming machine. A pair of spiral augerscooperate with the [52] U.$. CI. 2l4/6.5, conveyor to periodical, removea preselected number (hand) 214,6 S5 of aligned bags therefrom andconvey these bags into a turnta- [Sl It. Cl. B658 5 /30 ble assembly Theturntable assembly periodically mms to [50] Field of Search 2l4/6.2, 6mate positions to face the bottoms of the bags first in one 6 6 6 l SS;direction, and then in an alternate direction. A mechanism I v 93/93'3then forces the bags from the turntable assembly onto a tilting boxassembly. This assembly tilts through an angle to move the [s6] 7References Cited bags from a vertical status to a horizontal status.Pushing UNITED STATES PATENTS mechanism then pushes the bags from thetilting box assembly 2. .33 19 rk r 2l4/6 KX into a rotating unitassembly which, upon actuation, delivers 3.l07.793 10/1963 Frank 2 thebags to a transfer unit which conveys each successive hand 3,] l5,090l2/l963 Elander 2l4/6.5X of bags into a bag lifter assembly. The baglifter assembly 3,l24,059 3/1964 Labombarde 93/933 UX periodically liftsa stack of vertically superimposed hands of 3,23l,l00 ll i966 Faeber214/6 K bags upwardly to permit a new hand to be delivered beneath 63. 9gn lli 2 /6(-2) the stack by the transfer unit, and then the lifterassembly 3,404,609 10/1968 Hartbauer et al 2l4/6.5 X lowers the liftedstack onto the new hand. Finally, after the 3,422,968 l/l969 Martin214/6 K stack of bags within the bag lifter assembly has come to con- 3.5 .275 6/1969 Carlen,Jr. 2l4/6-5 tain a desired number of hands, abanding press loader as- 3,466.839 9/1969 Temple 214/6 (.2)X sembly isautomatically actuated to load the stack of bags 3,500,980 3/1970Calistrat 214/6 (.2) X from the lifter assembly into a banding press.

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SHEET 8 UP 9 INVENTOR. WILL/AM 5, 0571 5 A from/4 x5 BAG COLLATING ANDSTACKING'APIARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention1 This invention relates to apparatus for collating and stacking paperbags, and more specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus forgrouping paper bags in hands containing a predetermined number of bags,and then stacking these hands in a stack containing a predeterminednumber of hands, with the bags in each hand facing in an oppositedirection from the bags in adjacent hands within the stack.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art A number of machines have beendeveloped for collating, stacking and baling predetermined quantities oflarge paper bags of the type used in grocery stores for purposes ofshipment and storage. Frequently, the apparatus will include a machinewhich is positioned adjacent a bag-forming machine to receive from thebag-forming machine, bags which are produced therefrom and for sortingand grouping these bags into a plurality of groups, each of whichcontain a predetermined number of bags. These groups, called hands,arethen stacked on top of each other and are moved into a bag presswhich is integrally connected and-operated with the grouping orcollating apparatus. In the bag press, the stack of bags is compressedand is then packaged by wrapping a sheet of paper around the compressedbags and securing the wrapper in this position. Apparatus of the typedescribed is, for example, made by the Potdevin Company of Teterborough,N..I., and is in commercial use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention is anapparatus or system for automatically receiving bags from a bag-formingmachine and collating or grouping these bags into hands which contain apreselected number of bags. The hands are then oriented in a particularrelative position with respect to each other and moved in consecutivesequence into a stacking device where the bags are stacked by addingeach successive hand to the bottom side of the stack in a unique manner.The particular mode of collating and stacking the bags permitsadditional hands to be inserted in the stack, if this should be desired,or, alternately, permits a hand containing defective bags to be removedfrom the stack without the necessity of ultimately producing a shortbale by such procedure. The collating and stacking apparatus can beoperated entirely separately from a bag press, and can bequickly andeasily secured to a bag forming machine to automatically receive thebags therefrom without slowing down or interrupting the operation of thebag forming machine.

Broadly described, the apparatus of the present invention comprisesconveyor means for receiving bags from a bagforming machine and movingthem in consecutive sequence to a point where they are picked up by apair of cooperating spiral augers. The spiral augers cooperate with theconveyor means to periodically pick off or remove from the conveyormeans a preselected number of aligned bags so as to form a hand of bagscontaining this number of individual bags. The thus removed hand of bagsis then conveyed by the spiral augers into a turntable assembly. Theturntable assembly is periodically actuated by appropriate synchronizingmechanism driving it in synchronism with the conveyor means and thespiral auger so that the hands of bags placed therein are, inalternating sequence, turned first to a position in which a the bottomsof the bags face in one direction, and then, as a succeeding hand isplaced in the turntable assembly, to a position in which the bottoms ofthe bags in this hand face in the opposite direction to the directiontoward which the bottoms of the bags in the preceding hand were faced bythe turntable. Upon each movement of the turntable to the two alternatepositions described, a mechanism the n forces the bags from theturntable assembly onto a tilting box assembly. The bags, which are in aflattened, vertically extending status as they move onto the tilting boxassembly, are then tilted-by this assembly through an angle so as tomove them from this vertical status to .a horizontal status. Pushingmechanism then pushes each successive hand of bags from the tilting boxassembly into a rotating unit assembly which, upon timedactuation insynchronism with other assemblies of the apparatus, delivers the bags toa transfer unit which then conveys each successive hand of bags into abag lifter assembly. The bag lifter assembly periodically lifts a stackof vertically superimposed hands of bags upwardly to permit a new handto be delivered beneath the stack by the transfer unit. Then the lifterassembly lowers the lifted stack onto the new hand. Finally, after thestack of bags within the bag lifter assembly has come to contain adesired number of hands, a banding press loader assembly isautomatically actuated to load the stack of bags from the lifterassembly into a banding press. Y

' The various assemblies which have been described in the precedingparagraph are operated in the described sequence,

and such operation is brought about, by synchronizing mechanism whichincludes a common mechanical drive system and appropriate camming,switching and pneumatic cylinder actuation elements.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will have becomeapparent that it is an important object of the present invention toprovide an improved bag-collating and -stacking apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bag stacking andcollating apparatus which can be set to automatically collate a numberof bags into hands each containing a preselected number of bags, andthen place a preselected number of these hands in a stack.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bag-handling machinefor receiving preformed bags from a bag-forming machine andautomatically preparing these for baling under compression.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bag-collating and-stacking machine which can be altered in its function during itsoperation to change the number of hands to bags placed in a balepreparatory to compression and wrapping.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a bag-collating and-stacking machine which is mechanically strong, is reliable inoperation, and is characterized in having a long and trouble freeoperating life.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent as the followingdetailed description of the invention is read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS spiral auger assembly forming aportion of the present inventron.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3 andillustrating the turntable assembly forming a part of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the turntable assembly.

FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of a tilting box assembly forming aportion of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the chain drive portion of the transfer unitassembly forming a portion of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the transfer hook portion of the transfer unitassembly forming a portion of the invention.

FIG. I2 is a side elevation view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a sectional .view taken on line 13-13 of FIG. 1. FIG. 14 is aplan view with parts broken away illustrating the press transferassembly forming a part of the invention.

FIG. is a sectional view taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 1. FIG. 16 is acircuit diagram illustrating electrical circuitry utilized in theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Inreferring to the drawings and the following detailed description of apreferred embodiment of the invention, major machines, assemblies orsubassemblies have been designated by reference numerals associated withlead lines having arrowheads. Individual elements are indicated byreference numerals which carry plain lead lines not having arrowheads.

The bag collating and stacking apparatus of the present invention isdesignated generally by reference numeral 10 and is shown in a normalmode of use in which it is located adjacent a bag-forming machinedesignated generally by reference numeral 12. The bag-forming machine 12may be many different types of bag-forming machines currently in use formaking large, self-opening grocery bags, but the one illustrated merelyfor purposes of description in the present application is a machine ofthe type shown in US. Pat. No. 3,180,237 assigned to the assignee of thepresent application. Extending from the bag-forming machine 12 is adrive shaft 14 which is driven in synchronism with the bag-formingmachine and furnishes the primary power source for the moving mechanicalelements of the bag-collating and -stacking apparatus 10 of the presentinvention. The various functional assemblies of the bag collating and-stacking apparatus'lO of the present invention may be preliminarilyidentified to advantage in order to aid in the subsequent, more detaileddescription of the invention. These assemblies are generally mounted ona machine framework 15 and include a conveyor means 16 for receivingbags formed by the bag-forming machine 12, and a spiral auger assembly18 which periodically removes hands of bags containing a preselectednumber of bags from the conveyor means 16 and transfers them to aturntable assembly 20. The turntable assembly 20 transfers the hands ofbags to a tilting box assembly 22. From the tilting box assembly 22, thebags move into a rotating unit assembly 24. The hands of bags are thentransferred in successive order from the rotating unit assembly 24 to abag lifter assembly 26 by a transfer unit assembly 28. Finally, the baglifter assembly 26 stacks the hands of bags on a support plate fromwhich the bags may be moved into a banding press (not forming a portionof the present invention) by a banding press loader assembly 30.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, the bag-collating and-stacking apparatus 10 of the present invention includes, as has beenindicated, a conveyor means 16 which functions to pick up formed bags asthey are discharged from the bag-forming machine 12 and transfer or movethese to a remote location where they are then picked up in preselectednumbers or groups by the spiral auger assembly 18. The conveyor means 16utilized in the invention comprises a shaft 32 which has formed aroundthe outer periphery thereof a helical thread or fin 34 which hassucceeding convolutions longitudinally spaced or separated from eachother by a distance approximately equal to the thickness of a folded bagwhich has been formed on the bag-forming machine 12. The pitch of thefins 34 is such that as a bag is fed from the bag-forming machine 12downwardly with the bottom of the bag at the lowermost side thereof, thebag comes to rest between a pair of adjacent convolutions of the fin 34on the conveyor means 16, and is then effectively moved by a screwaction away from the bag-forming machine I2 and toward the spiral augerassembly 18. A

It should be pointed out that the speed of rotation of the shaft 32which carries the helical fin 34 is correlated to the output speed ofthe bag-forming machine 12 so that a newly formed bag is discharged fromthe bag-forming machine onto the conveyor means 16 as each new space ofreception between adjacent convolutions of the helical fin 34 appearsbelow the discharge location of the bags from the bag-forming machine.Thus, each successive bag as formed enters each successive adjacent slotbetween adjacent convolutions of the fin 34. For the purpose of holdingthe bags in alignment with each other and centered on top of theconveyor means 16, a

horizontally extending run 36a of a belt 36 is vertically posi tionedabove the conveyor means 16 by a.distance approximately equivalent tothe height of a bag. The belt 36 is supported on a plurality of idlerrollers 38.

Lateral support for the bags is provided bya vibrator as-' sembly 40which is positioned on the side of the conveyormeans 16 towards whichthe shaft 32 is rotated so that the bags cannot be carried sideways offof the rotating fin 34. The

vibrator assembly 40 includes a vibrator bar 41 connected by suitablevertical rods 42 to a crossmember 43. The cross- 1 member 43 isconnected to a shaft 45 by rods 47, and the shaft 45 is secured to a camarm 49 which has a cam roller 51 at the upper end thereof. The camroller 51 rollingly engages a cam sleeve 53 mounted eccentrically on thedrive shaft 14 so that periodically the vibrator bar 41 is rockedinwardly towards the bags, and a periodic tapping motion is imparted tothe vibrator bar to tap the bags on their side edges, and keep them inalignment with each other as they move along the conveyor means For thepurpose of driving the shaft 32 of the conveyor means 16 in rotationabout its longitudinal axis, a timing belt 46 is passed over a timingbelt pulley 48 carried on the drive shaft 14, and over a timingbeltpulley 50 keyed to one end of an input shaft extending into agearbox 52 supported on the framework 15 beneath the conveyor means 16.An output shaft 54 from the gearbox 52 carries a timing belt pulley 55which drives a timing belt 56. The timing belt 56 is extended around atiming belt pulley 57 keyed to a small coaxial extension 58 of the shaft32. The gearing in the gearbox 52 provides for the desiredsynchronization of the speed of rotation of the shaft 32 with respect tothe speed at which bags are formed on the bag-forming machine 12. Itwill be noted in referring to FIG. 4 that at the downstream end of theconveyor means 16, the helical fin 34 undergoes a substantial increasein its pitch so that greater spacing is caused to occur between adjacentbags carried on the conveyor means. The purpose of this isto permit theconveyor means 16 to cooperate with the spiral auger assembly 18.

As will be seen in referring to FIG. 3, the spiral auger assembly 18includes a pair of large, oppositely disposed spiral auger subassemblies60 which each include a helically turned blade 62 which terminates atits forward or upstream end in a point 63. Each helically turned blade62 is sufficiently thin at its forward and central portions that thepoint 63 thereof can shaft 66 extends through a gearbox 68 whichcontains a worm gear 70 keyed to the hollow shaft. The worm gear 70meshes with a worm 72 carried on a shaft 74 which projects into, and

is joumaled in, the gearbox 68. At its outer end, the shift 74 carries asprocket 76 which engages a chain 78. The chain 78 passes over a secondsprocket 80 keyed to the outer end of a cross-shaft 82 which extendsthrough the gearbox 52 from one side of the machine to the other. Withinthe gearbox 52, the cross-shaft 82 is drivingly engaged by gearing whichpermits it to be driven from the drive shaft 14 by means of the belt 46.The gearing and sprockets utilized in driving the spiral augersubassemblies 60 in rotation about the axes of the shifts 66 is suchthat the spiral augers are driven at a preselected speed ratio withrespect to the speed of rotation of the shaft 32 forming a portion ofthe conveyor means 16. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, theconveyor means 16 is driven at a rate of rotation which is 25 times therate of rotation of the spiral auger subassemblies 60 for a purposewhich will hereinafter be described.

It will be noted in referred to FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 that at the downstreamend of each blade 62, the blade is terminated in a substantiallyvertical plane (that is, the pitch is removed therefrom) and the bladeis thickened so as to provide a substantially vertically extending,relatively thick heel plate portion 83 of the blade. It will also benoted in referring to FIG. 5 that the hollow shaft 66 upon which eachspiral auger blade 62 is mounted concentrically surrounds an aircylinder 84 which projects to a location near the downstream end of thedrum 64, and which contains a piston secured to one end of a piston rod86 which carries at its other end a pusher plate 88. The pusher plate 88can be projected from the drum 64 when the air cylinder 84 is actuatedto accomplish a bag moving function hereinafter described in greaterdetail.

Immediately downstream from the spiral auger assembly 18 is theturntable assembly which is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 6 and7. The turntable assembly 20 includes a vertically extending frontsupport plate 94 and vertically extending rear support plate 96 disposedupstream, and horizontally spaced from, the front support plate. Thesupport plates 94 and 96 each have a large circular opening 98 formedregistration. A pair of suitable horizontally extending connecting girts100 space the front and rear support plates from each other.

Mounted between the front and rear support plates 94 and 96 is aturntable 102 of circular configuration. The turntable 102 is supportedbetween the front and rear support plates 94 and 96 by a plurality ofbearings 104 which are mounted on spacer sleeves 106 extending betweenthe support plates. The central portion of the turntable 102 is cut awayso that an opening 107 is formed therethrough resembling inconfiguration a pair of crossed rectangles of substantially equal size,with each of the rectangles having pairs of opposed protuberant cutawaysor reliefs 107a extending outwardly therefrom. The reliefs 107a are in aposition such that each relief is aligned with one of the pusher plates88 of the spiral auger assembly 18 for purposes hereinafter described.Extending transversely across the upper portion of the front plate 94 toat least partially close the circular opening 98 therethrough, and toobstruct or close a portion of the opening 107 through the turntable 102is a bag stop plate 112. i

For the purpose of rotating the turntable 102 upon the bearings 104 andbetween the front and rear support plates 94 and 96, respectively, aGeneva drive assembly, designated generally by reference numeral 114, isconnected to the turntable 102 by means of an output shaft 115 securedto a crank am 116 which is connected through a bracket 118 to a pushrod120. The pushrod 120 has its end opposite the end connected to thebracket 118 secured to a bracket 122 which is pivotally secured by asuitable pin to the turntable 102. The power input to the Geneva driveassembly 1 14 is delivered via a sprocket 124 keyed to an input shaft126 which enters the opposite side of the Geneva drive housing 128 fromthat side from which the output shaft 115 projects. The sprocket 124 isdriven in rotation by a chain 132 which drivingly engages a sprocket 134carried on the output shaft 54 extending from the gearbox 52 (see FIGS.2 and 4). The Geneva drive assembly 114 is constructed so that duringeach actuation of the Geneva wheel contained therein by the input shaft126 to move this wheel through a 90 increment of rotation, the outputgearing connected to the Geneva wheel drives the output shaft 130through 180 and the turntable, through the interconnecting linkage, isrotated through an angle of 90.

A subassembly which forms a part of the turntable assembly 20 is the bagflap subassembly designated generally by reference numeral 136. The bagflap subassembly 136 includes a mounting pedestal 138 which is securedto the upper side of a bag support plate 140 and which has pivotallycon- .-therein with these openings in the plates being in horizontalnected thereto, a vertically extending air cylinder 142. The verticallyextending air cylinder 142 encloses a piston which is connected to apiston rod 144 secured at its outer end to a bracket 146. The piston rod144 actuates a bag flap plate 148 through an intervening crank arm 150and shaft 151 supported by suitable brackets 152 which are cantileveredfrom the exposed side of the bag stop plate 112. It may be seen that thebag flap plate 148 extends opposite a major portion of the opening 107through the turntable 102, and is secured at its upper edge to the shaft151 which is joumaled in the brackets 152 and secured to the crank arm150.

The tilting box assembly 22 is best illustrated in detail in FIGS. 4 and8. As here shown, the tilting box assembly 22 is positioned adjacent thebag support plate 140 and receives bags moving downstream from theturntable assembly 20 as hereinafter described. The tilting box assembly22 includes a tilting table subassembly, designated generally byreference numeral 160, which comprises a large plate 162 having acircular opening 163 formed in the center thereof, and which is securedto a pair of L-shaped, horizontally spaced brackets 164. The L-shapedbrackets 164 carry an outwardly projecting hook or toe 166 at the .endsof the aligned legs 164a thereof which are not secured to the plate 162.Extending between these legs 164a is an air cylinder mounting bracket170 which is used for mounting an air cylinder 172 between the legs 164aof the L-shaped brackets 164. The air cylinder 172 contains a pistonsecured to one end of a piston rod 173 which has its other end connectedto a pusher plate 174 which is illustrated in FIG. 4 in its retractedposition.

Extending between the legs 164b of the L-shaped brackets 164 which aresecured to the plate 162 and positioned to extend across the circularopening 163 in this plate is an air cylinder-mounting bracket 176. Theair cylinder-mounting bracket 176 supports an air cylinder 178 whichcontains a piston secured to one end of the piston rod 179 which carriesa pusher plate 180 at its opposite end. The pusher plate 180 is ofcircular configuration and is of slightly lesser diameter than thediameter of the circular opening 163 in the plate 162. A switch 182 ismounted on the plate 162 adjacent the pusher plate 180 so that extensionof piston rod 179 and this plate opens the switch, and full retractionof the plate into the opening 163 trips the switch. I

For the purpose of tilting the tilting box assembly 22 through a 90angle to achieve a function hereinafter described, an air cylinder 184is provided and has its base secured to the framework through a suitablebracket 186. The air cylinder 184 contains a piston which is connectedto one end of a piston rod 188 which is secured at its other end to alever arm 190. The lever arm 190 is keyed to a shaft 192 at its endopposite that end which is connected to the piston rod 188 so that asthe piston rod is extended and retracted, the lever arm causes the shaftto rotate about its longitudinal axis. The shaft 192 can be joumaled tothe framework of the machine in any suitable manner, and has keyed to acentral portion thereof for rotation therewith, spaced hubs 194 whichare carried by the L-shaped brackets 164 at the intersection of the legs164a and l64b. It will thus be apparent that as the air cylinder 184 isactuated so as to extend or retract the piston rod 188, the L-shapedbrackets 164 will pivot with the shaft 192, and the effect obtained willbe a tilting of the tilting box assembly 22 through an angle of 90 atpreselected times during the operation of the apparatus as hereinafterdescribed. Secured to the main framework of the machine, and projectingupwardly on opposite sides of the tilting box assembly 22, are a pair ofparallel guide plates 198 (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 3).

Immediately downstream from the tilting box assembly 22 and disposedbetween the guide plates 198 is the rotating unit assembly 24. Thisassembly is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 4 and 9. It includes atransversely extending, longitudinal shaft 200 which is joumaled in theframework of the apparatus, and which projects from one side of theframework into a Geneva drive subassembly designated generally'byreference numeral 202 and mounted on suitable supporting brackets 204.Keyed are cut in each of the sideplates 208 with the four slots beingdisposed at 90 from each other around each sideplate.

Secured across the longest side of each pair of aligned rectangularslots 210 in the two sideplates is an l-I-shaped bag support plate 212.There is further provided adjacent the bottom edge of each of the slots210 an angle plate 214. It will be I noted in referring to FIGS. 4 and 9that, in the illustrated position of the indexing wheel subassembly 206,the sideplates 208 are positioned so that one pair of their alignedrectangular slots 210 faces toward the turntable assembly 22, and hasthe longest edge of each of the slots (which carries the bag supportplate 212) positioned in alignment with the bag support plate 140hereinbefore described. As will be subsequently described, eachincremental fractional rotation of the index wheel subassembly 206 withthe shaft 200 rotates this subassembly through-an angle of 90 to that atthe end of each incremental fractional rotation. a new pair of alignedrectangular slots 210 in the two sideplates 208 is brought into theforwardly facing position described so that the index wheel subassembly206 is ready to receive a hand of bags from the tilting box assembly 22.

Rotation of the index wheel subassembly 206 is effected by the Genevadrive subassembly 202. The Geneva drive subassembly 202 is driven by achain 218 whichis passed overthe sprocket 220 connected to aninput shaft222 of the Geneva drive subassembly. At its opposite end, the chain 218is passed over a drive sprocket 224 which is carried by a shaft mountedin the framework of the machine in a-manner hereinafter described. Theoperation of the Geneva drive subassembly I 202 is such that eachactuation of the Geneva wheel contained therein will rotate this wheelthrough 90' and the wheel in turn will drive the output shaft 200through a corresponding amount. It will be noted that the shaft 200extends through the Geneva drive housing and carries a plurality of cams225a, 225b, and 2250' which function to periodically activate a plu-'rality of switches located in' a switch box 227 adjacent the cams in amanner hereinafter described.

. -Secured.to the' framework on opposite sides'of the index wheelsubassembly 206 are a pair of upwardly extending brackets 226. Securedbetween the upper ends of the brackets 226 and above the index wheelsubassembly 206 is a shaft 228. A pair of downwardly extending,horizontally spaced guide rods 230 are secured at their upper ends tothe shaft 228 at horizontally spaced intervals therealong by means ofset collars 232.The guide rods 230 are to some extent resilient, andtheir angular relationship with respect to the vertical can be adjustedby adjustment of set screws in the set collars 232. It will be notedthat in the illustrated position of the guide rods 230, they extenddownwardly in a plane which is spaced horizontally downstream from theshaft 200 to which the index wheel subassembly 206 is keyedsThe functionof the guide rods 230 will be hereinafter explained.

. The transfer unit assembly 28 is located immediately downstream in thebag-collating and -stacking apparatus from the rotating unit assembly24. The details of construction of downstream in the bag-collating and-stacking apparatus 10, and is passed around a sprocket 246 which iskeyed to a central portion of the shaft 248 hereinbefore described. Theshaft 248 extends transversely across the machine and is journaled inthe framework thereof and, as has previously been described, carries aGeneva drive sprocket 224 on one end thereof (see FIG. 3). V

' The shaft 248 also has keyed thereto at a position intermediate itsends, a gear 250 which rotates with the shaft and drivingly engages agear 262 which is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 254 secured to, andprojecting laterally from a por tion 256 of the frame (see FIG. 10).Drivingly secured to the gear 252 for concurrent rotation about the stubshaft 254 is a chain sprocket 260 illustrated in FIG. 4. The chainsprocket 260 engages a chain 262 which passes over a sprocket 264corresponding in size to the sprocket 260 and rotatably mounted on astub shaft 266 which is secured to the the transfer unit assembly 28 arebest illustrated in FIGS. 4,

frame portion 256'hereinbefore described.

In referring to FIGS. 4 and 10, and to the foregoing description, itwill be perceived that the drive is transferred from the gearbox 52 viathe chain and sprocket connections and the speed reducer 238 ultimatelyto the shaft 248. The shaft 248 is utilized for driving the Geneva drivesubassembly 202 hereinbefore described, for driving the sprockets 260and 264 and for driving certain other portions of the apparatushereinafter described. The sprockets 260 and 264 are thus driven insynchronism with the conveyor means 16, the spiral auger assembly 18,the first mentioned Geneva drive assembly 114 and the rotating unitassembly 24 by this mechanical interconnection.

In referring to FIGS. 4 and 11', it will be noted that a connecting rod270 has one of its ends pivotally connected to the chain 262 andextends-upwardly from the chain. The upper end of the connecting rod 270is journaled ona shaft 272 which has its opposite ends secured incarrier plates 274 and 276. Horizontally spaced along the carrier plates274 and 276 in a downstream direction from the shaft 272, a second shaft278 extends parallel to the shaft 272 and has its opposite ends securedin the end portions of the carrier plates 274 and 276. At about'thecentral portion of the length of each of the carri er plates 274 and276, each carrier plate has secured thereto a bracket 280 which projectsoutwardly therefrom and supports a ball bushing 282. Each ball bushing282 concentrically surrounds, and is slidable on, an elongated slideshaft 284, which slide shafts extend parallel to the carrier plates 274and 276 and to each other. At the upstream ends of each of the carrierplates 274 and 276, a second bracket 286 is secured to each of thecarrier plates and projects outwardly. therefrom. The brackets 286 eachcarry a ball bushing 290 which surrounds and slidingly engages one ofthe elongated slide shafts 284. The slide shafts 284 are rigidlysupported in suitable brackets 292 which are mounted on the framework 15of the bag collating and stacking apparatus. It will be perceived fromthe foregoing description that the carrier plates 274 and 276, theshafts 272 and 278 which extend therebetween, the brackets 280 and 286,and the ball bushings 282 and 290 carried by these brackets,collectively form a reciprocating carriage which can undergoreciprocating movement on the two parallel, horizontally spaced slideshafts 284..

Mounted inwardly on the shaft 272 from the position at which theconnecting rod 270 is journaled thereon is a first trailing transferhook 296, the configuration of which is best illustrated in FIG. 13. Inreferring to FIG. 13, it will be noted that the transfer hook 296 hasone of its ends journaled around the shaft 272 by means of a suitablebushing 298, and that its other end is free and carries an upwardlyprojecting toe 2960. The transfer hook 296 also has secured to the sidethereof adjacent the connecting rod 270, a cam roll bearing 300 whichrollingly engages the flat upper surface of this connecting rod. Nearthe opposite end of the shaft 272 from that upon which the connectingrod 270 and the transfer hook 296 are journaled is pivotally mounted asecond trailing transfer hook 302. The second transfer hook 302 isparallel, and is shaped similarly, to the transfer hook 296, thus havinga toe 302a. The transfer hook 302, like the transfer hook 296, isjournaled on the shaft 272 by means of a suitable bearing 304. Oppositethe ends of the trailing transfer hooks 296 and 302 at which the toes296a and 302a are located, each of these transfer hooks carries adownwardly projecting lug 296k and 302b, respectively. A crossbar spacer306 extends between, and is secured to, the lower ends of the downwardlyprojecting lugs 296b and 302b.

A first leading transfer hook 308 is journaled on the shaft 278 adjacentthe forward end of the carrier plate 274 and is of a configuration whichis substantially identical to the configuration of the trailing transferhooks 296 and 302. A second leading transfer hook 310 is journaled onthe shaft 278 at its opposite end just inside the carrier plate 276. Thedownwardly depending lugs 308b and 310k of the leading transfer hooks308 and 310 are interconnected by a crossbar spacer 312. Extendingbetween the crossbar spacers 306 and 312 is a connecting rod 314 whichis journaled at its opposite ends around each of these spacer bars.

The bag lifter assembly 26 is positioned downstream from the transferunit assembly 28 for receiving hands of bags from the transfer unitassembly in a manner and for a purpose hereinafter described. Thedetails of construction of the bag lifter assembly 26 are bestillustrated in FIGS. 1, 4, 13 and 15. In referring to FIGS. 1 and 13, itwill be noted that a pair of stub shafts 316 are extended inwardly fromopposite sides of the framework 15 and are journaled in the frameworkfor rotation about horizontal axes. The stub shafts 316 each have keyedto their inner ends, a circular crank disc 318 which extends in asubstantially vertical plane. Each of the crank discs 318 carries a camroller bearing 320 adjacent the outer periphery thereof so that the camroller bearing 320 on each of the crank discs 318 moves through a circleduring the rotation of the respective crank disc with its stub shaft316.

A vertically reciprocating bag lifter carriage subassembly designatedgenerally by reference numeral 322 is positioned between the opposedsidewalls of the frame 15 and between the crank discs 318. The baglifter carriage subassembly 322 includes a pair of horizontally spaced,horizontally extending, parallel slide carrier plates 324 which extendparallel to the sidewalls of the frame 15, and have secured to theirsides adjacent the respective crank discs 318, an oval cam member 326which defines an elongated, horizontally extending slot 328. The slot328 is dimensioned to receive the cam roller bearing 320 on the adjacentcrank disc 318 so that the respective cam roller bearing may roll alongthe slot in the cam. member 326. it will thus be perceived that as thestub shafts 316 are rotated about their axes, the crank discs 318 arealso rotated so that the cam roller bearings 320 move incircular paths,and the cam members 326, in following the cam roller bearings, moveupwardly and downwardly in a reciprocating motion which is transmittedto the entire bag lifter carriage subassembly 322.

The bag lifter carriage subassembly 322 further includes a transversegirt 329 which is secured between the iower edges of the plates 324, andwhich supports a pair of vertically extending lifter arms 330. Thevertically extending .lifter arms 330 are secured to the transverse girt329 by a pair of adjusting brackets 322 which can be adjusted in theirpoints of securement to the gin to permit the horizontal spacing betweenthe lifter arms 330 to be adjusted for reasons hereinafter described.Secured to an upper portion of each vertically extending lifter arm 330at a lever below that at which a horizontally extending bag-supportingplate 334 is located is a bracket 336 which has hingedly secured theretofor pivotation about a horizontal axis, a bag lifter flap 338. Each ofthe bag lifter flaps 338 is spring biased to an upwardly and outwardlyextending position at which it extends at an angle of about 45 withrespect to the vertical. Each of the bag lifting flaps 338 can bepivoted downwardly to a horizontal position, however, at which positionit strikes a positive stop which limits further downward movement.

Secured to the upper side of the transverse girt 329 is a baseplate 340which is adjustably secured to the transverse girt 329 so that it may bemoved in a direction which is normal to the longitudinal axis of thegin. The baseplate 340 has secured to the outer edges thereof a pair ofvertically extending lifter arms 342. The lifter arms 342 have a hingeplate 344 secured therebetween at their upper end portions and the hingeplate 344 supports a hinge element which carries a bag lifting flap 346movable within the limits hereinbefore described as characteristic ofthe bag lifting flaps 338.

Secured to the forward or upstream portion of each of the slide carrierplates 324 is a vertically extending lifter arm 350. The lifter arms 350are horizontally spaced from each other, and carry at locations adjacenttheir upper ends, a pair of hinge structures which include bag lifterflaps 352 having the movement characteristics hereinbefore described inreferring to the bag lifter flaps 338 and 346.

In referring to FlG. 13, it will be noted that the bag lifter flaps 352,338 and 346 are positioned around the edges of, and project into, agenerally rectangular space. This rectangu lar space is of an area whichcorresponds to the area of a flattened bag. Thus, when the hands of bagsare pushed downstream on the bag support plate 334 by the transfer unitassembly 28, they ultimately come to rest on the bag support plate 334with their edges positioned over the bag lifter flaps 338, 346 and 352.At this time, the bag lifter carriage subassembly 322 commences to movevertically upwardly as a result of the rotational movement of the crankdiscs 318 carried on the stub shafts 316. The bag lifter carriagesubassembly 322 further includes four bearing blocks 360 secured at theopposed corners of the slide carrier plates 324. Each bearing block 360slidably surrounds a vertically extending shaft 364, which has its upperend secured to the underside of the bag support plate 334 and its lowerend secured in the framework 15. i

For the purpose of driving the stub shaft 316 at one side of theframework 15 in rotation, a chain sprocket 366 is keyed to this stubshaft, and a chain 368 extends from this sprocket to a sprocket 370carried on the outer end of the shaft 248 hereinbefore described. At theother end of the shaft 248, a sprocket 372 is keyed to this shaftadjacent the sprocket 224 from which the Geneva drive subassembly 202 isdriven, and a chain 374 extends from this sprocket to a sprocket 376rotatably journaled on a stub shaft 378 secured on the op posite side ofthe frame 15 from the side on which the sprocket 366 is located. Thesprocket 376 is keyed to a gear 380 which is also rotatably journaled onthe stub shaft 378, and which drivingly engages a gear 381 keyed to thestub shift 316. It will be perceived that since the drivefor both thesprockets 376 and 366 has a common origination in the rotation of theshaft 248, with proper ratios used in the severa sprockets and in thegearing 380 and 382, the crank discs 318 located just inside theopposite sides of the framework 15 can be caused to rotate in rotationalsynchronism, yet in opposite directions, so that any canting or skewingof the bag lifter carriage subassembly 322 during its verticalreciprocating movement is avoided, and binding upon the verticallyextending shafts 364 by the bearing blocks 360 is avoided.

It will also be noted that the gear 381 carries an outwardly projectingprotuberance 382 mounted near its outer periphery, and that theprotuberance 382 can strike and close the actuator arm of a microswitch383 once during each revolution of gear 381. The microswitch 383 ismounted on the framework 15 adjacent the gear 381.

Positioned just upstream from the bag lifter assembly 28 is a handguiding subassembly 384. This subassembly 384 includes a pair ofoverhead skids 386 under which the hands of bags are moved by thetransfer hooks 296, 302, 308 and 310 as they pass on an elongated bagsupport plate 387 toward the bag lifter assembly 28. The overhead skids386 carry a switch-supporting bracket 388 upon which a microswitch 390is mounted. An elongated switch finger 392 is pivotally mounted on theswitch bracket 388 and projects downwardly into the path of the hands ofbags passing under the overhead skids 386. Each time a hand of bagsstrikes the finger 392, the microswitch 390 is closed to transmit asignal to an electric counter 394 mounted in an accessible location onthe framework 15.

ln FIGS. 14 and 15 are illustrated details of construction of thebanding press loader assembly 30 which is utilized to.

horizontally displace the stack of superimposed hands of bags which isformed by the bag lifter assembly 26. As here shown, and as will appearin FIGS. 1 and 4, the press loader assembly 30 includes four brackets410, 412, 414 and 416 which are mounted in two pairs disposed onopposite sides of the framework 15 and project vertically therefrom. Itwill be noted in referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 that the verticallyextending brackets 410, 412, 414 and 416 define the corners of arectangle and are located in horizontally spaced relation around theoutside of the bag lifter assembly 26. Extending between the brackets410 and 412 are a pair of vertically spaced, horizontally extendingslide rods 418 and 420. In like manner, a pair of vertically spaced,horizontally extending slide rods 422 and 424 extend between, and havetheir ends secured to, the vertically extending brackets 414 and 416 onthe opposite side of the framework 15 from the brackets 410 and 412.

Positioned between the vertically extending brackets 410,

412, 414 and 416 is the horizontally extending bag-supporting plate 334which has been hereinbefore described. The bagsupporting plate 334 issupported on the upper edges of opposed side portions of the framework15. A transversely extending shaft 432 has its opposite ends journaledin the framework 15 and has keyed thereto adjacent the opposed sideportions of the framework 15 a pair of gears 434. Supported on the bagsupport plate 334 and spaced inwardly from the gears 434 are a pair ofcam plates 436 which are adjustably secured to the bag support plate 434for adjustment toward or away from each other (see F [0. 18).

Secured to the brackets 412 and 416 on opposite sides of the framework15 are a pair of air cylinders 438 and 440 (see FIGS. 3 and 14). The aircylinders 438 and 440 each have piston rods 442 projecting therefrom andextending. through suitable apertures in the brackets 412 and 416. Eachof the piston rods 442 is secured at its outer end to a verticallyextending bracket 444 which carries a pair of vertically spaced bushings446. The bushings 446 of one bracket 444 slidingly surround the sliderods 418 and 420 on one side of the machine, and the bushings 446 of theother bracket 444 surround the slide rods 424 and 426 on the oppositeside of the machine. The brackets 444 are thus journaled on the sliderods 318, 320, 324 and 326 for sliding reciprocating movementtherealong.

The upper end portions of the vertically extending brackets 444 aresecured to the outer edges of a vertically extending pusher plate 448which extends transversely across the machine at the leading or upstreamedge of the bag support plate 334. Mounted on the side of the pusherplate 448 which faces the air cylinders 438 and 440 is an air cylindermounting bracket 452 which is secured to, and supports, a verticallyextending air cylinder 454. The vertically extending air cylinder 454has a piston rod 456 extending downwardly therefrom and secured at itslower end to a slide plate 458. The slide plate 458 is slidably mountedin a pair of elongated slide guides 460 which are disposed on oppositesides of a slide receiving slot 462 formed in the pusher plate 448.

Secured to the inside of each of the vertically extending brackets 444are a pair of horizontally projecting racks 464 which extend parallel toeach other and to the slide rods 418- 424. The racks 464 are supportedin suitable rack guide elements 466 which are secured to the oppositesides of the framework 15. The position of the racks 464 is such that,as they are reciprocated along their longitudinal axes, the teeth of theracks engage the teeth of the gears 434 which are keyed to the shaft432. intermediate their length, the racks 464 are supported on the bagsupport plate 334.

Mounted on the back or downstream side of the pusher plate 448 athorizontally spaced positions are two vertically aligned pairs ofbearing blocks 468. Each vertically aligned pair of bearing blocks 468journals a pivot pin 470 which is secured at its opposite ends toelongated bag guide arms 472. The bag guide arms 472 on each pivot pin470 are free to pivot on the pivot pin about a vertical axis coincidentwith the longitudinal axis of the pivot pin. Each of the two lower bagguide arms 472 carries a roller bracket 472 which carries a roller 476.The roller 476 mounted in this way at the outer end of each of the lowerbag guide arms 472 bears against the inwardly facing surface of theadjacent cam plate 436. This surface has the configuration bestillustrated in FIG. 14.

It will be perceived that as the pusher plate 448 is reciprocated acrossthe bag support 334 by the air cylinders 438 and 440, the bag guide arms472 will, under the resilient bias of suitable springs associated withthese arms and their respective pivot pins 470, swing outwardly at theirouter ends as the rollers 476 follow the cam surfaces of the cam plates436. ln other words, the bag guide arms 472 will undergo a divergentmotion at their outer ends during the pushing motion of the pusher plate448 as hereinafter described.

Connected between the inner sides of the upper and lower bag guide arms472 in each vertically aligned pair of these guide arms is a bag guideplate 478. Each of the bag guide plates 478 has an inwardly angled bagretaining flange 480 which projects normal to the edge of the respectivebag guide plate which is nearest the outer end of the bag guide arms towhich the guide plate is secured. There are also provided additionalvertically extending bag guide plates 482 which are horizontally spacedfrom each other, and which are secured between the inner surfaces of thevertically aligned pairs of bearing blocks 468 which support each of thepivot pins 470. It will be noted that the bag guide plate 482 extendedbetween each vertically aligned pair of bearing blocks 468 is incoplanar alignment with the corresponding bag guide plate 478 securedbetween the vertically aligned bar guide arms 472 which are mounted onthe respective pivot pin 470 at the time when these bag guide arms arein the positions illustrated in FIG. 14.

Mounted on the bag-supporting plate 334 at a position immediately belowthe bag guide plate 482 secured to one pair of the vertically alignedbag guide arms 472 is an air cylinder bracket 484 which supports an aircylinder 486. The air cylinder bracket 484 is also apertured toaccommodate a pair of slide rods 488 which extend through the aircylinder bracket 484 and are secured to one side of a guide plate base490. The guide plate base 490 has secured to the opposite side thereoffrom that secured to the slide rods 48, a vertically extending guideplate 492. The vertically extending guide plate 492, under actuation bythe air cylinder 486 functions to periodically tap the sides of thevertically stacked hands of bags to maintain the vertical alignment ofthe stack.

There is further provided for use in association with the press loaderassembly 30, a guide flap subassembly designated generally by referencenumeral 494. The guide flap subassembly includes a pair of horizontallyspaced bearing boxes 498 adapted for mounting on opposite sides of abanding press, or other machine into which it may be desired todischarge the stack of bags which has been built up within the pressloader assembly of the bag-collating and -stacking apparatus of theinvention. Journaled in bearing boxes 498 are the ends of an elongated,transversely extending, horizontal shaft 500 which, it will be noticedin referring to FIG. 15, extends transversely across the upper,downstream portion of the press loader assembly 30. Keyed to the centralportion of the shaft 500 are a pair of brackets 502 which are secured toa guide plate 504.

For the purpose of rotating the shaft 500 about its horizontal axis soas to swing the guide plate 504 through an are about this axis for apurpose hereinafter described, an air cylinder 506 is mounted by meansof a suitable bracket 508 on the press or other. structure whichsupports the bearing boxes 498.

The air cylinder 506 extends upwardly and contains a piston secured toone end of a piston rod 510 which is pivotally connected at its otherend to a lever arm 512. The lever arm is in turn secured to thehorizontal shaft 500 so that, as the piston rod 510 is extended, theshaft will be rotated about its longitudinal axis to bring the guideplate 504 to a horizontally extending position above the stack of bagswithin the press loader assembly 30.

FIG. 16 is a wiring circuit diagram illustrating the electricalcircuitry used in the operation of the counter 394 and the severalswitches and solenoid valves used in the bag-collating and -stacltingapparatus. As will be subsequently explained, valves 516, 518 and 520are mechanically actuated valves which are contained in the valvehousing 227 and which are actuated by the cam wheels 225a, 225b, and225c and are therefore not illustrated in the circuit diagram.

The switch 182 is actuated by pusher plate 180 to close a solenoid valve522 as hereinbefore described. The switch 390 is a normally open switchwhich is closed each time a hand of bags is pushed into the bag lifterassembly 26. Each closure of the switch 390 sends an electrical signalto the counter 394, which may suitably be a Veeder-Root Digi Flexpredetermining counter upon which a predetermined hand count may be setto govern the number of hands of bags to be placed in each stack. When apredetermined number of signals is transmitted to the counter 394 by theswitch 390, the counter generates an output signal which operates relayR-l to make a circuit through normally closed switch 530. The switch 530acts as an interlock to hold the relay in until this switch is opened.When the relay R-l is thus energizeda circuit is made to a solenoidvalve 532 to operate this valve'to permit air to extend the piston rod456 of the air cylinder 454. This lowers the slide plate 458.

Lowering of the slide plate 458 closes the switches 461 and 463. Switch461 is in series with the switch 383 which is periodically closed bycontact of the protuberance 382 therewith (once during each revolutionof the gear 381). Closure of switch 383 while switch 461 is closed(while the slide plate,458 is down) energizes relay R-2. Switch 463 thenacts as an interlock to hold this relay in even after switch 383 opensfollowing its momentary closure. The circuit is made through relay R-2to the solenoid valve 536 which causes air to be introduced to aircylinders 438 and 440 to extend the piston rods 442 which projecttherefrom.

Normally closed switch 530 is momentarily opened at the end of theextension stroke of the air cylinders 438 and 440 to release relay R-l.This breaks the circuit to valve 532, causing this valve to shift andthereby effecting the retraction of the piston rod 456 into the aircylinder 454. This movement lifts the slide plate 458 which opens theswitches 461 and 463. This releases relay R-2, interrupting the circuitto valve 536 and causing the piston rods 422 of air cylinders 438 and440 to be retracted.

OPERATION Largepaper bags are formed on the bag-forming machine 12 andare discharged therefrom in a direction which is substantiallytangential with respect to the large drum forming a portion of thebag-forming machine, and appearing at the right-hand edge of FIG. 4. Thebags leaving the bag-forming machine 12 come to rest upon the conveyormeans 16 of the bag-collating and -stacking apparatus with the creasedbottom edges of the flattened bags disposed between adjacentconvolutions of the helical fin 34. As the conveyor means 16 theinvention. The bags are retained on the upper side of the helical fin 34by means of the vibrator assembly 40 as the vibrator bar 41 periodicallytaps the side edges of the bags to keep them from being frictionallymoved toward that side of the machine as a result of the screw action ofthe conveyor means 16. The top edges of the bags are maintained inalignment during their movement by the horizontally extending run 36aofthe belt 36. g

When the bags move downstreamon the conveyor means 16 to the end thereofat which the convolutions of the helical fin 34 become widely spaced,the horizontally spaced, helically turned blades 62 of the two spiralauger subassemblies 60 segregate a predetermined number of bags, andmove thm off of the conveyor means 16 and onto the support table 65.This is accomplished by the relatively thin points 63 of'the helicallyturned blades 62 passing simultaneously between the widely spacedconvolutions of the helical fin 34 and thus between adjacent bagscarried by the helical fin at this point.

As has been pointed out, the speeds of rotation of the spiral augersubassemblies 60 are controlled so that the blades 62 will rotaterelatively slowly in comparison to the rate of rotation of the helicalfin 34 carried on the shaft 32 of the conveyor means ,16. Thus, forexample, in a typical embodiment of the invention, the drive connectionsbetween the drive shaft 14 and the shaft 32 of the conveyor means 16, onthe one hand, and the drive connections between the drive shaft 14 andthe hollow shafts 66 of the auger subassemblies 60, on the other hand,are such that the helically turned blades 62 of the auger subassemblieswill make only one revolution for each 25 revolutions of the shaft 32and the helical fin 34 carried thereon in the conveyor means 16.Therefore, 25 bags will have passed beyond the end of the conveyor means16 and onto the support table 65 each time that the thin points 63 ofthe helically turned blades 62 pass between the widely spacedconvolutions of the helical tin 34. In this manner, the augersubassemblies 60 function to periodically separate or isolate one handof bags (containing 25 bags) from the following or succeeding bagsmoving on the conveyor means 16.

After being picked off or removed from the conveyor means 16 by thespiral auger assembly 18, the hands of bags containing the preselectednumber of bags arranged with their bottom edges, side edges and topedges aligned, are moved into the turntable assembly 20. Movement ofeach hand of aligned bags into the turntable assembly 20 is accomplishedby the screwing action of the helically turned blades 62. When the handof bags is moved to the rear of these blades, the bags are forced by theheel plate portions 83 of the blades 62 into the rectangular shaped,vertically extending portion of the cross shaped opening 107 in therotating turntable 102 mounted between the front and rear supportplates, 94 and 96, respectively. The bags are, of course, at this time,positioned with their folded bottom edges downwardly and their tops far;upwardly. The opening 107 in the turntable 102 is dimensioned incorrespondence to the size of the bags to be received therein so that ahand of aligned bags will fit fairly snugly in the vertically extending,rectangularly shaped portion of the opening 107 without excessiveclearance. Stated differently, the opening 107 has been previouslydescribed as resembling in configuration a pair of crossed rectangles ofsubstantially equal size. Moreover, it may now be noted convenientlythat these crossed rectangles, in the operative positions of theturntable 102, extend horizontally and vertically, respectively. Thus,as the hand of bags initially enters the opening 107 in the turntable102, the hand always enters the rectangular portion of the opening 107which extends vertically with the 0pposite ends of the horizontallyextending rectangular portion left open. The hands of bags are preventedfrom passing through the opening 107 in the turntable 102 by the bag stoplate 112 which is secured across the front support plate 94, and by thepusher plate which is extended at this time in a manner hereinafterdescribed.

The turntable 102 remains in the described position in .which thevertically aligned bags pass into the vertically exwith the Geneva driveassembly 114. The actuation of the Geneva drive assembly 114 issynchronized with the rotational speeds of the conveyor means 16 and thespiral auger assembly 18 by the chain drive which connects the outputshaft 2 54 with the drive sprocket 124 of the Geneva drive assembly.

It is through this drive that the periodic actuations of the turntable102 by the Geneva drive assembly 114 are caused to 1 occur insynchronism with the removal of the predetermined number of bags fromthe conveyor means 16 by the spiral auger assembly 60, and with themovement of the bags by the latter, assembly into the turntable assembly20.

When the predetermined number of bags to constitute a hand has beenpositioned within the vertically extending rectangular portion of thecross-shaped opening 107 in the turntable 102, the Geneva drive assembly114 is actuated so that the output shaft 115 therefrom is rotatedthrough an angle of 180. Through the intervening linkage of the crankarm 116, bracket 118, pushrod 120 and bracket 122, the turntable 102 iscaused to rotate through an angle of 90. This will be in acounterclockwise direction as the turntable 102 is viewed in FIG. 6. Therotation of. the turntable 102 reorients the cross-shaped opening 107 sothat the rectangular portion of this opening which carries the hand ofbags is moved from a vertically extending position to a horizontallyextending position and the bottom edges of the bags extend toward theright as they would appear in FIG. 6. Simultaneously, that portion ofthe cross-shaped opening 107 which had previously been in the form of ahorizontally extending rectangle is moved into a vertically extendingposition preparatory to receiving the next hand of bags to be formed bythe spiral auger assembly 60.

During the time that the foregoing movements of the described machineryare occurring, driving power is being delivered from the output shaft 54through the chain 234 and the speed reducer 238 to the chain 244. Thechain 244 drives the shaft 248 which extends across the apparatus andcarries at one of its ends, the sprocket 249. This sprocket in turndrives the input shaft 203 to the Geneva drive subassembly 202 which haskeyed thereto the cam plates 225a, 225b, and 2250. As the cam plate 225ais rotated with the shaft 203, it will actuate valve 516 to permit airto be transmitted to the air cylinders 84 forming a portion of each ofthe spiral auger subassemblies 60. This occurs at a point in time whichis immediately after the turntable 102 has been turned through an angleof 90 to orient the hand of bags-in a horizontally extending position.Upon the delivery of air to the air cylinders 84 by the throwing of thevalve 516, the piston rods 86 associated with the air cylinders 84 areextended so that the pusher plates 88 carried at the outer end of theserods are extended from their respective drums 64 and pass through thereliefs 107a in the turntable 102. The pusher plates 88 are dimensionedso that a portion of each one of these extends into the main portion ofthe opening 107 in which the hand of bags is located. The pusher plates88 will therefore effectively force the hand of bags out of thehorizontally extending rectangular portion of the slot 107. The hand ofbags is thus pushed out of the turntable 102 and through the frontsupport plate 94.

Prior to the time that the ejection of the hand of bags from theturntable 102 by means of the pusher plates 88 commences, the pusherplate 180 forming a portion of the tilting box assembly 22 is extendedfrom its position illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings to a position injuxtaposition to the hand of bags in the turntable assembly. The pusherplate 180 thus provides lateral support for the hand of bags at thistime. As the pusher plates 88 are extended to force the bags out of theturntable 102, the pusher plate 180 is retracted by the withdrawal ofthe piston rod 179 into the air cylinder 178. This is accomplishedby thethrowing of a valve 518 in the air system by contact with the cam plate225b carried on the shaft 203. Stated differently, valves 516 and 518 inthe air system are concurrently thrown to effect the extension of thepiston rods 86 which carry the pusher plates 88 and the simultaneousretraction of the piston rod 179 which carries the pusher plate 180.

It will be perceived that the simultaneous actions of pusher plates 88and 180 result in the hand of bags being moved out of the turntableassembly 20 onto the bag support plate at a location immediately abovethe legs 164k of the L-shaped brackets 164 forming a portion of thetilting table subassembly 160. In this position of the tilting tablesubassembly 160, of course, the legs 164a are extending vertically asdepicted in FIG. 4. It should be further pointed out that in this statusof the apparatus, the piston rod 144 is extended from the air cylinder142 so that the bag flap plate 148 is in its elevated, substantiallyhorizontally extending position in which it extends toward the turntableassembly 20.

When the pusher plate 180 is fully retracted to a position within thecircular opening 163 in the plate 162, it strikes the microswitch 182which throws a solenoid valve 522 in the air system. The actuation ofthe valve 522 introduces air to the air cylinders 184 and 142 in amanner such that the piston rod 188 is retracted into the cylinder 184and the piston rod 144 is retracted into the cylinder 142. Theseconcurrent actions result in the tilting table subassembly being pivotedabout the shaft 192, and the bag flap plate 148 being pivoted downwardlyabout the shaft 151.

As the tilting table subassembly 160 is pivoted (in a counterclockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 4), the plate 162 and pusher plate arebrought to a horizontally extending position in alignment with thelongest edges of an aligned pair of the rectangular slots 210 formed inthe parallel sideplates 208 of the index wheel subassembly 206. At thesame time that the tilting table subassembly 160 is undergoing thistilting movement through an angle of about 90, the bag flap plate 178sweeps downwardly, and in a downstream direction, to move the side edgesof the bags (which have now been laid on their sides by reason of the 90rotation of the turntable assembly 20 hereinbefore described)downwardly, and to cause the hand to lie flat upon the plate 162 andpusher plate 180.

With the hand of bags lying flat on the pusher plate 180 and the plate162 with which it is in coplanar alignment, the bags may be pushed fromthese plates into the aligned pair of rectangular slots 210 in theparallel sideplates 208 of the index wheel subassembly 206 by extensionof the piston rod 173 from the air cylinder 172. The extension of thepiston rod 173 is effected by cam wheel 225c contacting and throwing, aswitch 524 in the air system which permits air to be delivered to thecylinder 172. As the piston rod 173 is extended, the pusher plate 174sweeps across the horizontally aligned, horizontally extending pusherplates 180 and plate 162 to move the bags off of these plates into therectangular slots 210 carried in the parallel sideplates 208 of theindex wheel subassembly 206. When the bags are in the rectangular slots210, they are supported on the H-shaped bag support plate 212 which issecured to the longest sides of the slots 210 and extends between theside plates 208. Support for the bags is also afforded by the angleplate 214 extending along the bottom edges of the rectangular slots 210.

After the cam wheel 2254 is rotated through a particular increment ofrotation, the valve 516 is released so that air may be exhausted fromthe air cylinders 84 of the spiral auger subassemblies 60, and thepusher plates 88 may thus be retracted. Also, when the cam wheel 225brotates through a predetermined increment of rotation, the valve 518 isopened, thus causing the piston rod 179 to be extended from the aircylinder 178 so that the pusher plate 180 moves outwardly from the plate162. With this movement of the pusher plate 180, the microswitch 182 isreleased to reverse the valve 522 and introduce air to the air cylinder184 in a manner to extend the piston rod 188. This will cause thetilting table subassembly 160 to tilt back to the receiving positionshown in FIG.

nection between the turntable 102 and the Geneva drive as-- sembly 114is such that alternate incremental rotations through 90 of the turntableoccur in opposite directions. Thus,-after one hand of bags has enteredone vertically extending portion of the opening 107 in the turntable,and has then been rotated from an upstanding to a lying-on-its-sideposition with the bottom edges extending in one direction (toward oneside of the machine), this hand of bags will be ejected into the tiltingbox assembly 22 in this orientation, and another hand will commencemoving into the new vertically extending portion of the opening 107.When this second hand is in position in this portion of the opening 107,the turntable 102 is then turned through 90 in the opposite directionfrom that in which it was initially turned. This results in the nexthand of bags being laid sideways in the opposite direction from thefirst hand of bags, that is, with the bottom edges of the bags facingtoward the opposite side of the machine from the side toward which thebottom edges of the bags in the first hand faced.

ln properly timed sequence with the movements of the tilting boxassembly 22, the index wheel subassembly 206 of the rotating unitassembly 24 undergoes a 90 increment of rotation. This 90 rotationalmovement of the index wheel subassembly 206 is caused to occur by theGeneva drive subassembly 202. Thus, as the input shaft 203 of the Genevadrive subassembly 202 is driven in rotation by the chain 218 passedaround the sprocket 220 keyed thereto, the output shaft 200 from theGeneva drive subassembly 202 upon which the index wheel subassembly 206is mounted is caused by the Geneva works within the Geneva drivesubassembly to periodically undergo the 90 increment of rotation. Thedriving connections between the shaft 248 and the other moving parts ofthe apparatus assure that the indexing of the index wheel subassembly206 through 90 will occur at the propertime; that is, after a hand ofbags has been delivered to an aligned pair of the rectangular slots fromthe tilting box assembly 22, and the tilting table subassembly 160 hasbeen rotated back to its hand-receiving position illustrated in FIG. 4.It will be seen in and 302 occurs, of course, at a time when the indexwheel subassembly 206 is not undergoing rotation, but during one of itsperiods of arrest. This timing is effected by the positiveinterconnection of the drive portion of the transfer unit assembly 28with the drive shaft 14 from which the other moving componentsof theapparatus are driven. Thus,- the transfer hooks 296 and 302 are drivenin an oscillating movement by means of the connecting rod 270 and theconnecting rod 314 through which both of the hooks are effectivelyconnected to the drive chain 262. The drive chain 262 is passed over thesprockets 260 and 264, and the sprocket 260 rotates with the stub shaft254 which is in turn driven in rotation by the gear 252 which is keyedthereto and meshes with the gear 250. The gear 250 is keyed to the shaft248 which carries the sprocket 246 driven by the chain 244 ashereinbefore described.

During the operation of the transfer unit assembly 28, the

' connecting rod 270 remains at approximately the same angureferring toFIG. 4 that each time the index wheel subassembly 1 206 is rotatedthrough 90, followed by tilting of the tilting tablesubassembly 160through 90 from the position shown in F IG. 4, a new aligned pair of therectangular slots 210 is ready to receive a hand of bags, and therectangular slots which were previously aligned with the tilting tablesubassembly 160 has been moved 90 in a counterclockwise direction (asthe tilting table subassembly 160 is viewed in FIG. 4). After twoincremental rotations of 90 following the reception of a hand of bags inone pair of the slots 210, this hand of bags is brought to ahorizontally extending, relatively lower position in which the hand ispositioned over the transfer unit assembly 28 upon the bag-supportingplate 387. During the time that the index wheel subassembly 206 isundergoing rotation, the bags are retained in their respectiverectangular slots 210 and against the H-shaped bag support plate 212 bythe horizontally spaced guide rods 230 which bear against the hand ofbags and force them back against the bag support plates as the indexwheel subassembly moves.

With the bags having been moved to a position in which they rest flatlyupon the bag support plate 387 and are still within one of the alignedpairs of slots 210 of the index wheel subassembly 206, each hand of bagsis engaged by the trailing transfer hooks 296 and 302 of the transferunit assembly. The upwardly projecting toes 296a and 302a of thetransfer hooks 296 and 302, respectively, are swung upwardly behind, orupstream from, each hand of bags located in the lowermost pair of slots210 of the index wheel subassembly 206, and are then moved horizontallytoward the mouth of these slots to carry the hand of bags out of therectangular slots while it is supported on the supporting plate 387. Theejection of the hand of bags from the slots 210 by the trailing transferhooks 296 lar position as that shown in FIG. 4 until the location atwhich the chain 262 passes around the sprocket 260 is reached. At thislocation, the connecting rod 270 will undergo a change in its angulationby having its end connected to the chain 262 dip downwardly sharply. Thetransfer hook 296 will then also pivot so that its upwardly projectingtoe 296a falls downwardly as a result of the cam roll bearing 300carried by this transfer hook following the upper surface of theconnecting rod 270. As the transfer hook 296 pivots to move theprojecting toe 296a downwardly, the downwardly projecting lug 296bpivots in a direction to move the connecting rod 314 toward the baglifter assembly 26. This motion of the connecting rod 314, which isconnected through the crossbar spacer 306 to the downwardly projectinglugs 3,021) and 3l0b of the transfer hooks 302 and 310, causes thepivotation of the latter transfer hooks so as to retract the upwardlyprojecting toes 302a and 310a downwardly below the horizontal level ofthe bag support plate 387. With the upwardly projecting toes 296athrough 310a of the transfer hooks 296 through 310, respectively,retracted below the bag-supporting plate 387, all the transfer hooksremain in substantially the same lowered position while the point ofconnection of the connecting rod 270 to the chain 262 traverses thelower run of the chain as it passes from the sprocket 260 to thesprocket 264. Thus, during this interval, the upwardly projecting toes296a through 310a of the transfer hooks 296 through 310 are retracted,and the transfer hooks are reciproeated in an upstream direction. Thetransfer hooks 296, 302, 308 and 310 finally return to a position suchthat the upwardly projecting toes 296a and 302a of the trailing transferhooks 296 and 302 are raised upwardly to stand behind the hand of bagscontained within one of the aligned pairs of slots 210 in the indexwheel subassembly 206 preparatory to moving the hand downstream towardthe bag lifter assembly 26.

It should be pointed out that after the hand of bags has been moved outof one of the aligned pairs of slots 210 in the index wheel subassembly206, the second increment of downstream movement of this hand of bagstoward the bag lifter assembly 26 is effected by the set of leadingtransfer hooks 308 and 310. Thus, as both sets of transfer hooks(leading and trailing) are lifted to an operative position in whichtheir upwardly projecting toes extend above the level of the bag supportplate 387, the trailing transfer hooks 296 and 302 function to engagethe trailing hand of bags located in the slots 210, while the leadingtransfer hooks 308 and 310 function to engage the leading hand of bagswhich has previously been moved out of the slots 210 by the trailingtransfer hooks 296 and 302.

The hands of bags are passed in consecutive sequence by the transferunit assembly 28 into the bag lifter assembly 26. As the hands of bagsare moved by the transfer hooks 296, 302, 308 and 310 toward the baglifter assembly 26, the hands pass under the overhead skids 386 whichfunction to keep the bags in vertically superimposed alignment, and alsoto slightly compress the bags to remove excessive air therefrom. As eachhand of bags moves under the overhead skids 386 and into the bag lifterassembly 26, the switch 390 is closed as the bags strike the elongatedswitch finger 392. In this manner, an electrical signal is transmittedto the counter 394 to register the number of hands of bags passing intothe bag lifter assembly. in moving into the bag lifter assembly 26, thehands of bags move from the bag supporting plate 387 onto thebag-supporting plate 334. it should be pointed out that at the time thehands of bags move onto the bag-supporting plate 334, slide plate 458,which is slidably mounted on the pusher plate 448 and actuated by theair cylinder 454, is elevated by the cylinder so that the hands of bagsare free to pass under the slide plate and into the bag lifter assembly26.

With the bags at rest on the bag-supporting plate 334, they are thensubjected to the periodic lifting action of the bag lifter assembly 26.It will be noted in referring to FIG. 13 that the bag-supporting plate334 is cut away at certain locations around its edges to permit thelifter arms 342, 330 and 350 to be extended vertically through the slotsin the bag-supporting plate, and also that the slots are sufficientlylarge to allow the bag lifter flaps 338, 346, and 352 to pass throughthe slots in the supporting plate. The edges of the lowennost bag in thehand of bags resting upon the supporting plate 334, however, extend overthe edges of slots so that contact will occur between the lowermost bagin the hand resting on the supporting plate and the several bag lifterflaps 338, 346 and 352 as the bag lifter carriage subassembly 322 movesupward.

The stub shafts 316 which carry the circular crank discs 318 are drivenin rotation in synchronism with the other moving elements of thebag'collating and -stacking apparatus so that after each hand of bagshas been moved onto the bag-supporting plate 334, and before anotherhand has moved into the bag lifter assembly 26, the cam roller bearings320 carried by the circular crank discs 318 have moved to a relativelyhigh position with respect to the aligned axes of the stub shafts 316,thus causing the bag lifter carriage subassembly 322 to be reciprocatedupwardly by engagement of these cam roller bearings with the oval cammembers 326 carried on the slide carrier plates 324. As the bag liftercarriage subassembly 322 is moved upwardly, its four bearing blocks 360slide on the vertically extending shafts 364.

As the several vertically extending lifter arms 330, 342 and 350 moveupwardly through the slots in the bag-supporting plate 334, the baglifter flaps 338, 346 and 352 which are carried thereby are also movedupwardly. As the lifting flaps 338, 346 and 352 engage the lower side ofthe hand of bags resting on the bag-supporting plate 334, the liftingflaps are forced downwardly against the spring bias previously describeduntil they reach the horizontal status in which positive stops preventfurther downward movement of these flaps. In this position, the flapsthen lift the hand of bags upwardly from the bag-supporting plate 334,and the hand of bags continues to move upwardly with the bag liftercarriage subassembly 322 during the remaining portion of its upwardtravel. This movement of the hand of bags upwardly clears thebag-supporting plate 334 so that another hand of bags can be moved ontothis plate by the transfer unit assembly 28.

After a new hand of bags has been positioned on the bagsupporting plate334, the continuing rotational movement of the circular crank discs 318(in synchronism with the linear transfer speed of the transfer unitassembly 28) causes the bag lifter carriage subassembly 322 to commenceits downward movement. As the several bag lifter flaps 338, 346 and 352are moved downwardly with the bag lifter carriage subassembly of whichthey form a part, they come in contact with the upper side of the newhand of bags which is now resting upon the bag-supporting plate 334.This contact biases the bag lifting flaps 338, 346 and 352 upwardly sothat they can pass by the hand of bags resting on the bag supportingplate. Continued downward movement of the vertically extending lifterarms 330, 342 and 350 carries the lifting flaps 338, 346 and 352 pastthe lowennost hand of bags to the original position in which the liftingflaps are located below this hand of bags. The lifting cycle is thenready for repetition.

It will be noted that the one or more hands of bags which have beeninitially moved upwardly by the vertically reciprocating bag-liftingcarriage subassembly 322 have been, at this stage of the cycle, lowereduntil they rest upon the bottom hand of bags which has been mostrecently moved onto, and is supported at this time by, thebag-supporting plate 334. Thus, it is to be noted that the bag lifterassembly 26 included in the apparatus of the invention functions byadding each successive hand of bags which is transferred into theassembly by the transfer unit assembly 28 to the lower side of the stackof hands of bags, rather than adding the incoming hands to the upperside of the stack of hands of bags.

As has beenpreviously pointed out, as each hand of bags passes under theoverhead skids 386, the microswitch 390 is tripped to send a signal tothe electrical counter 394 so that a count is subtracted from that whichhas been set on the counter. During this time, the vertically extendingair cylinder 454 is in a status in which its piston rod 456 is retractedso that the slide plate 458 is raised to permit the passage of hands ofbags into the bag lifter assembly 26. This status of the air cylinder454 and its piston rod 456 continues until the counter 394 has countedout due to a predetermined number of hands of bags having been movedinto the bag lifter assembly 26, and stacked in a verticallysuperimposed position by the alternating lifting and lowering actionshereinbefore described. When the counter 394 has registered thepredetermined number of hands of bags which it is desired to stack invertical superimposition, the counter transmits a signal functioning toenergize the relay R-1 and thereby making a circuit through the relayand the switch 530 which is a holding or interlock switch, mounted onthe vertically extending bracket 414. With the relay R-l energized, anelectrical signal is passed to the solenoid valve 532 located in the airline to the air cylinder 454 so that the piston rod 456 is extended,thus moving the slide plate 458 downwardly until the lower edge of theslide plate is adjacent the upper surface of the bag-supporting plate334. Described in another way, the slide plate 458 is, at this time,lowered to a position where it can contact the side edges of the bags inthe lowermost hand of bags in the stack within the bag lifter assembly26, which lowermost hand rests upon the bagsupporting plate 334. Theband press loader assembly 30 is now positioned to move the stack ofsuperimposed hands of bags out of the bag-collating and -stackingapparatus 10 into a bag press which may be suitably located immediatelyadjacent the bag press loader assembly.

As has previously been mentioned in referring to the circuit diagramillustrated in FIG. 16, lowering of the slide plate 458 closes theswitches 461 and 463. The switch 461 is in series with the switch 383which is a normally open switch that is periodically closed by contacttherewith of the protuberance 382 carried on the gear 381. Theprotuberance 382 is disposed in relation to the cam roller bearing 320carried on the adjacent circular crank disc 318 so that the protuberancewill strike and close the switch 383 at a time when the bag liftercarriage subassembly 322 is being driven downwardly below the bagsupporting plate 334 in the lower portion of its travel. 7

With the closure of the switch 383 while the switch 461 is closed byextension of the slide plate 458, relay R-2 is ener' gized. The relay11-2 is then held in by a circuit which is at this time made through theswitch 463 which has been closed by the downward movement of the slideplate 458 as hereinbefore described. The described energization of relayR-2 makes a circuit to the solenoid valve 536. As valve 536 is operated,air cylinders 438 and 440 are actuated so that the piston rods 442 areextended therefrom.

As the piston rods 442 are extended from their respected air cylinders438 and 440, the vertically extending brackets 444 to which the outerends of the rods are secured are driven in a sliding movement along theslide rods 418, 420, 422 and 424. Since the vertically extendingbrackets 444 are secured to the pusher plate 448, their movement alongthe slide rods 418- 422 produces a concurrent translational movement ofthe

1. A bag-collating and -stacking machine comprising: conveyor means forreceiving bags in sequence from another machine and moving said bags; aspiral auger assembly including a pair of spiral auger bladescooperating with said conveyor means to pick off a predetermined numberof bags from said conveyor means and move them as a hand away from saidconveyor means; means for orienting said hands of bags in a horizontal,flat position in which the bags in each hand are verticallysuperimposed, and in which said hands are horizontally spaced from eachother; a transfer unit assembly for consecutively moving said hands ofbags from said orienting means to a location spaced therefrom; a baglifter assembly positioned for consecutively receiving said hands ofbags from said transfer unit assembly, and stacking said hands in astack; means for periodically horizontally displacing said stack ofhands of bags; and means for driving said spiral auger assembly,conveyor means, orienting means, transfer unit, and bag lifter assemblyin synchronism.
 2. A bag-collating and -stacking machine as definedclaim 1 wherein said means for orienting said hands of bags comprises: aturntable for receiving from said auger assembly an aligned hand ofvertically extending bags in which the bottom edges of the bags facedownwardly; means for alternately rotating the turntable in onedirection through 90* of rotation, then, after a period of dwell,rotating the turntable in an opposite direction through 90* of rotationwhereby hands of bags in said turntable are turned to face the sideedges of the vertically extending bags downwardly, and to alternatelyface the bottom edges of the bags in consecutive hands in oppositedirections; means for ejecting the hands of bags from the turntablewhile the side edges of the bags are faced downwardly; tilting tablemeans for receiving hands of bags ejected from said turntable; and meansfor pivoting said table means to a position in which the bags in saidhands extend horizontally.
 3. A bag-collating and -stacking machine asdefined in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means includes a shaft; ahelical fin around said shaft having its convolutions spaced to receivebags between said convolutions; and means for driving said shaft inrotation.
 4. A bag-collating and -stacking apparatus as defined in claim1 wherein said bag lifter assembly comprises: a bag lifter carriagesubassembly including bag lifter flap means for lifting bag hands frombeneath after sliding downwardly past the sides of said bag hands; meansfor vertically reciprocating said bag lifter assembly; and means forsupporting a hand of bags in the path of the vertically reciprocatingmovement of saId bag lifter assembly.
 5. A bag-collating and -stackingmachine as defined in claim 1 wherein said transfer unit assemblycomprises: a set of leading transfer hooks; a set of trailing transferhooks drivingly connected to said leading transfer hooks; a continuousdriven chain of oval configuration in a substantially vertical plane;means driving said chain; a connecting rod connected between a point onsaid chain and said transfer hooks for driving said transfer hooks intranslational and pivotal movement.
 6. A bag-collating and -stackingapparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said spiral auger assemblyincludes a pair of horizontally spaced, helically turned blades, saidblades each terminating in a point at one end and in a flat, verticallyextending heel plate at the opposite end; means for turning thehelically turned blades in opposite directions of rotation; a cylinderextending along the axis of rotation of each of said blades; a pistonrod reciprocably mounted in each of said cylinders and extendingtherefrom toward the respective heel plate of the adjacent blade; andpusher plates secured to the ends of said piston rods outside saidcylinders.
 7. A bag-collating and -stacking apparatus as defined inclaim 1 wherein said means for displacing said stack of hands comprises:a vertically extending pusher plate; means supporting said pusher platefor horizontal reciprocating movement; cylinder and piston means forhorizontally reciprocating said pusher plate; a slide plate slidablymounted on said pusher plate for vertical reciprocation; and piston andcylinder means mounted on said pusher plate and connected to said slideplate for periodically vertically reciprocating said slide plate intothe path of bags moving from said transfer unit assembly into said baglifter assembly.
 8. A bag-collating and -stacking machine as defined inclaim 1 and further characterized to include means for automaticallyactuating said means for periodically displacing said stack after apredetermined number of hands of bags have been stacked in said stack bysaid bag lifter assembly.
 9. A bag-collating and -stacking machine asdefined in claim 1 wherein said spiral auger assembly includes a pair ofaligned, horizontally spaced, helically turned blades; and wherein saiddriving means includes means for driving said blades in rotation at aspeed which is a preselected exact multiple of the speed at which saidconveyor means is driven.
 10. A bag-collating and -stacking machine asdefined in claim 2 wherein said conveyor means includes an elongatedshaft; and a helical fin surrounding said shaft over a major portion ofits length and having a portion of the convolutions thereof spacedaxially along said shaft from each other by a greater distance than theremaining convolutions of said fin are spaced axially from each other.11. A bag-collating and -stacking machine as defined in claim 2 whereinsaid bag lifter assembly comprises: a plurality of bag-lifting flaps;means pivotally supporting said flaps along the perimeter of arectangular space for pivotation of said flaps from a horizontallyextending position to an upwardly extending position; and means formoving said supporting means upwardly and downwardly in timed responseto the movement of hands of bags by said transfer unit assembly to saidlocation spaced from said orienting means.
 12. A bag-collating and-stacking machine as defined in claim 3 wherein said transfer unitassembly comprises a plurality of transfer hooks; and means for movingsaid transfer hooks in translational movement.
 13. A bag-collating and-stacking machine as defined in claim 4 wherein said spiral augerassembly comprises: a pair of horizontally spaced, helically turnedblades; means for turning the helically turned blades in oppositedirections of rotation; and reciprocating bag ejection means extendingalOng the axis of rotation of each of said blades.
 14. A bag-collatingand -stacking apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said means fordisplacing said stack of hands comprises: a pusher plate positioned forhorizontally pushing said stack of hands of bags; means forpneumatically moving said pusher plate; and slide plate meansreciprocably mounted on said pusher plate for extension from one edge ofsaid pusher plate in a direction substantially normal to the path ofmovement thereof.
 15. A bag-collating and -stacking apparatus as definedin claim 7 and further characterized to include means for automaticallyactuating said periodic displacing means after a predetermined number ofhands of bags has been stacked in said stack by said bag lifterassembly.
 16. A bag-collating and -stacking machine as defined in claim9 wherein said spiral auger assembly further comprises: a pair of drumshaving said helically turned blades mounted thereon; a cylinderextending through the hollow interior of each of said drums; a pistonrod reciprocably mounted in each of said cylinders and extendingtherefrom toward said means for orienting said hands of bags in ahorizontal, flat position; and pusher plates secured to the ends of saidpiston rods outside said cylinders.
 17. A bag-collating and -stackingmachine as defined in claim 16 and further characterized to includemeans for automatically actuating said periodic displacing means after apredetermined number of hands of bags has been stacked in said stack bysaid bag lifter assembly.
 18. A bag-collating and -stacking machine asdefined in claim 15 wherein said means for orienting said hands of bagscomprises: a turntable for receiving from said auger assembly an alignedhand of vertically extending bags in which the bottom edges of the bagsextend downwardly; a Geneva drive assembly connected to said turntablefor alternately rotating the turntable through 90* in oppositedirections; and tilting table means for receiving a hand of bags fromsaid turntable following each 90* rotation thereof by the Geneva driveassembly.
 19. A bag-collating and -stacking assembly as defined in claim18 and further characterized to include means for contacting the topsand side edges of bags on said conveyor means for maintaining thealignment of said bags.
 20. A bag-collating and -stacking machinecomprising: means for receiving consecutively formed bags from abag-forming machine and arranging said bags in horizontally spaced handsin which a preselected number of bags are aligned alike in verticalpiles in each hand, said means for receiving consecutively formed bagscomprising: a screw conveyor having a helical fin thereon formed tosandwich single bags between adjacent convolutions of the fin; means forretaining bags in alignment on the screw conveyor with the bottom edgesaligned, the side edges aligned and the tops aligned; a spiral augerassembly for periodically screwing off predetermined numbers of bagsfrom the screw conveyor; means for accepting from said auger assemblysuccessive groups of bags each containing a predetermined number ofaligned bags and each constituting a hand of bags; and means foralternately turning said accepting means first in one direction through90* of rotation, and then in the opposite direction through 90* ofrotation in timed sequence with the receipt of consecutive hands of bagstherein from said spiral auger assembly to thereby lay alternate handsof bags on their sides with the bottom edges of the bags in saidalternate hands facing in opposite directions; transfer unit means forconveying said horizontally spaced hands to a common point insuccession; and a bag lifter assembly for stacking said hands in avertical stack on arrival at said common point, said bag lifter assemblyincluding means for placing each hand to arrive at said point below anyBags which have preceded it in arriving at said point.
 21. Abag-collating and -stacking apparatus as defined in claim 20 whereinsaid means for alternately turning said accepting means comprises: aGeneva drive connected to said accepting means; and chain drive meansdrivingly interconnecting said Geneva drive with said screw conveyor andspiral auger assembly.
 22. A bag-collating and -stacking machinecomprising: means for receiving consecutively formed bags from abag-forming machine and arranging said bags in horizontally spaced handsin which a preselected number of bags are aligned alike in verticalpiles in each hand, said receiving means comprising: means for aligninga predetermined number of bags in a hand in which the aligned bottomedges of the bag face downwardly; means for taking the aligned bags fromsaid aligning means and turning them sideways with the bottom edges ofthe bags extending vertically; and means for laying sideways turned bagsdown flat on their sides with their bottom edges extending horizontally;and transfer unit means for conveying said horizontally spaced hands toa common point in succession; and a bag lifter assembly for stackingsaid hands in a vertical stack upon arrival at said common point, saidbag lifter assembly including means for placing each hand to arrive atsaid point below any bags which have preceded it in arriving at saidpoint.
 23. A bag-collating and -stacking machine as defined in claim 22and further characterized as including a bag indexing assembly forreceiving said sideways turned bags laying flat on their sides, andturning them through an angle of 180* to rest on their opposite sidesand at a lower level.
 24. A bag-collating and -stacking machinecomprising: means for aligning and grouping a predetermined number ofbags in hands in which the bags are flat and have their bottom edges,side edges and tops aligned, said aligning means comprising: a screwconveyor for supporting the bottom edges of bags in horizontalalignment; and means for maintaining the horizontal alignment of saidbottom edges while removing a predetermined number of bags from saidscrew conveyor; means for successively receiving said hands and turningthem alternately in opposite directions; means for collecting saidoppositely directed hands in a vertical stack with the bags in eachstacked hand having their bottom edges aligned with the top edges of thebags in adjacent hands in the stack; and means for automaticallyhorizontally displacing the vertical stacked hands when the number ofhands collected reaches a predetermined number.
 25. A bag-collating and-stacking machine comprising: means for aligning and grouping apredetermined number of bags in hands in which the bags are flat andhave their bottom edges, side edges and tops aligned: means forsuccessively receiving said hands and turning them alternately inopposite directions, said receiving and turning means comprising: anapertured turntable means having an opening therethrough sized toclosely receive a hand of bags in which the bags are aligned; and meansfor periodically reorienting said apertured turntable means to turn saidopening in the direction it is desired to turn a hand of bags which hasbeen received therein; and means for collecting said oppositely directedhands in a vertical stack with the bags in each stacked hand havingtheir bottom edges aligned with the top edges of the bags in adjacenthands in the stack; and means for automatically horizontally displacingthe vertically stacked hands when the number of hands collected reachesa predetermined number.
 26. A bag-collating and -stacking machinecomprising: means for aligning and grouping a predetermined number ofbags in hands in which the bags are flat and have their bottom edges,side edges and tops aligned; means for successively receiving said handsand turnIng them alternately in opposite directions; means forconsecutively accepting in a horizontal position from said receivingmeans, hands of bags which have been turned alternately in oppositedirections by receiving means; means drivingly connected to said handaccepting means to periodically move said hand accepting means to aposition in which a hand of bags which has been accepted thereby isturned over through 180*; means for collecting said oppositely directedhands after the hands have been turned over through 180* and stackingsaid oppositely directed hands in a vertical stack with the bags in eachstacked hand having bottom edges aligned with the top edges of the bagsin adjacent hands in the stack; and means for automatically horizontallydisplacing the vertically stacked hands when the number of handscollected reaches a predetermined number.
 27. A bag-collating and-stacking machine as defined in claim 26 wherein said receiving andturning means comprises: apertured plate means having an openingtherethrough sized to receive a hand of bags in which the bags arealigned; and means for periodically reorienting said apertured platemeans to turn said opening in the direction it is desired to turn a handof bags which has been received therein.
 28. A bag-collating and-stacking machine comprising: means for aligning and grouping apredetermined number of bags in hands in which the bags are flat andhave their bottom edges, side edges and tops aligned; means forsuccessively receiving said hands and turning them alternately inopposite directions; means for collecting said oppositely directed handsin a vertical stack with the bags in each stacked hand having theirbottom edges aligned with the top edges of the bags in adjacent hands inthe stack; means for automatically horizontally displacing thevertically stacked hands when the number of hands collected reaches apredetermined number, said means for automatically horizontallydisplacing the vertically stacked hands comprising: bag guide platemeans bearing against the stack of bags on three sides thereof; a pusherplate bearing against the stack of bags on a fourth side and having saidbag guide plate means mounted on one side thereof for concurrentreciprocation therewith means for pushing the pusher plate and the bagguide plate means mounted thereon toward said stack of bags and in ahorizontal direction; and guide means on a side of said bag guide platemeans for guiding said bag guide plate means out of contact with saidstacked bags after said pusher plate has commenced to push said stack ofbags in a horizontal direction.
 29. A bag-collating and -stackingmachine as defined in claim 28 wherein said bag guide plate meanscomprises: a first pair of vertically aligned bag guide arms on one sideof the stack of bags; a first pivot pin supporting the bag guide arms insaid first pair for pivotation about a vertical axis; a first verticallyextending bag guide plate secured between said bag guide arms andadapted to contact the stack of bags on one side thereof; a flangeprojecting from said bag guide plate and adapted to contact the stack ofbags on a second side thereof; a second pair of vertically aligned bagguide arms horizontally spaced from said first pair of verticallyaligned bag guide arms; a second pivot pin supporting the bag guide armsin said second pair for pivotation about a vertical axis; a secondvertically extending guide plate secured between the bag guide arms insaid second pair and adapted to contact the stack of bags on a thirdside thereof; and a flange projecting from said second verticallyextending guide plate and adapted to contact the stack of bags on saidsecond side thereof.
 30. A bag-collating and -stacking machinecomprising: a screw conveyor including a helical fin thereon having amajor portion of its convolutions spaced to receive between each pair ofadjacent convolutions, a single bag; means for retaining bags inalignment on said screw conveyor during movement therealong by therotation of said helical fin; a pair of horizontally spaced spiral augerblades on opposite sides of said screw conveyor and each having a largerpitch than said helical fin and oriented to periodically remove a groupof bags from said screw conveyor and move them further in the directionof movement imparted thereto by said screw conveyor; means rotating thespiral auger blades and the screw conveyor in synchronism to achieve theinclusion of a predetermined number of bags in the groups periodicallyremoved from the screw conveyor by said spiral auger blades; and meansfor stacking said groups of bags in vertical relation to each other. 31.A bag-collating and -stacking machine as defined in claim 30 and furthercharacterized to include: a rotatably mounted member having across-shaped opening therethrough with said opening configured as a pairof crossed rectangles, each of which is of slightly larger area than aflattened bag, said rotatably mounted member being positioned adjacentsaid spiral auger blades to receive groups of bags intermittently fedthereto by said spiral auger blades so that each received group ispositioned within one of said rectangular portions of said opening;means for periodically rotating said rotatably mounted member about anaxis through the center of said opening, first in one direction ofrotation through 90* of arc at a time after a group of bags is receivedtherein, and then in the opposite direction of rotation through 90* ofarc at a time after the next succeeding group of bags is receivedtherein; and means for ejecting each group of bags from said rotatablymounted member after each rotation thereof through 90*.
 32. Abag-collating and -stacking apparatus as defined in claim 30 and furthercharacterized to include means for transferring bags in groups from saidspiral auger blades to said stacking means, said transferring meansincluding a transfer unit assembly comprising: a pair of horizontallyspaced sprockets; means for commonly driving at least one of saidsprockets and said spiral auger blades in synchronism; an endless chainextended around said sprockets; a framework; carrier means slidablymounted on said frame for reciprocation in a substantially horizontalplane; a connecting rod drivingly connected between said chain and saidcarrier means for reciprocating said carrier means as said chain isdriven on said sprockets; and at least one pair of transfer hookspivotally mounted on said carrier means and engaging said connecting rodfor following the movement thereof relative to said carrier means duringthe movement of said sprockets and chain.
 33. A bag-collating and-stacking apparatus as defined in claim 30 wherein said means forstacking said groups of bags in vertical relation to each othercomprises: means continuously undergoing an up and down reciprocatingmovement; and flap means pivotally mounted on said up and downreciprocating means for pivoting about a horizontally extending axisfrom a horizontally extending lifting position to an upwardly folded,bag bypassing down moving position.
 34. A bag-collating and -stackingapparatus as defined in claim 31 wherein said means for stacking saidgroups of bags in vertical relation to each other comprises: meanscontinuously undergoing an up and down reciprocating movement; and flapmeans pivotally mounted on said up and down reciprocating means forpivoting about a horizontally extending axis from a horizontallyextending lifting position to an upwardly folded, bag bypassing downmoving position.
 35. A bag-collating and -stacking apparatus as definedin claim 32 wherein said means for stacking said groups of bags invertical relation to each other comprises: mEans continuously undergoingan up and down reciprocating movement; and flap means pivotally mountedon said up and down reciprocating means for pivoting about ahorizontally extending axis from a horizontally extending liftingposition to an upwardly folded, bag bypassing down moving position. 36.A bag-collating and -stacking apparatus as defined in claim 34 andfurther characterized to include means for transferring bags in groupsfrom said spiral auger blades to said stacking means, said transferringmeans including a transfer unit assembly comprising: a pair ofhorizontally spaced sprockets; means for commonly driving at least oneof said sprockets and said spiral auger blades in synchronism; anendless chain extended around said sprockets; a framework; carrier meansslidably mounted on said frame for reciprocation in a substantiallyhorizontal plane; a connecting rod drivingly connected between saidchain and said carrier means for reciprocating said carrier means assaid chain is driven on said sprockets; and at least one pair oftransfer hooks pivotally mounted on said carrier means and engaging saidconnecting rod for following the movement thereof relative to saidcarrier means during the movement of said sprockets and chain.
 37. Abag-collating and -stacking machine comprising: means for receivingconsecutively formed bags from a bag-forming machine and arranging saidbags in horizontally spaced hands in which a preselected number of bagsare aligned alike in vertical piles in each hand, said receiving meanscomprising: means for aligning a predetermined number of bags in a handin which the aligned bottom edges of the bags face downwardly; means fortaking the aligned bags from said aligning means and turning themsideways with the bottom edges of the bags extending vertically; andmeans for laying sideways turned bags down flat on their sides withtheir bottom edges extending horizontally; transfer unit means forconveying said horizontally spaced hands to a common point insuccession; and a bag lifter assembly for stacking said hands in avertical stack upon arrival at said common point.
 38. A bag-collatingand -stacking machine comprising: means for aligning and grouping apredetermined number of bags in hands in which the bags are flat andhave their bottom edges, side edges and top edges aligned, said aligningand grouping means comprising: a screw conveyor for supporting bottomedges of the bags in horizontal alignment; and means for maintaining thehorizontal alignment of said bottom edges while removing a predeterminednumber of bags from the screw conveyor; means for successively receivingsaid hands and turning them alternately in opposite direction; means forcollecting said oppositely directed hands in a vertical stack with thebags in each stacked hand having their bottom edges aligned with the topedges of the bags in adjacent hands in the stack, said collecting meanscomprising: a hand-supporting plate; bag lifter flaps for periodicallylifting all hands on said hand-supporting plate in a vertical directionby movement of the bag lifter flaps through the horizontal plane of saidhand-supporting plate; and means for automatically moving a hand of bagsonto said hand-supporting plate when said lifting means is engaged inits lifting motion; means for automatically horizontally displacing thevertically stacked hands when the number of hands collected reaches apredetermined number.